As I Lay Dying
by randompandattack
Summary: As Jet dies he reflects on his life and his feelings for Katara while Smellerbee and longshot prepare for battle. one-sided Jet/Katara one-shot.


**A/N: I was watching some Avatar episodes including the ones with Jet and for some reason I really liked his character the 2nd time around. I wanted to write something with my take on him and this is it. Jet is only in a few episodes so his personality past the surface isn't definite, this is how i saw him. Oh yeah, i don't own Avatar. **

As I Lay Dying

It was cold. The floor that is. I know it might seem inconsequential but it's one of the last things I'll ever feel so I might as well notice it while I can. Katara put her hands to my chest as she tried to heal me with her waterbending. It eased the pain slightly but I knew she couldn't fix me, I was broken beyond repair.

Still it was nice having her so close to me, her beautiful face etched with concern for yours truly. Quite the contrast to the look of utter hatred she gave me but hours before, I deserved it of course. Deserving something doesn't make it any less painful.

She thought I used her. She thought I lied to her and that I never cared for her. She hates me. People think I'm some sort of player because I can act cool and I have a pretty face. They're wrong. The Freedom Fighters consist of mostly boys. Except for Smellerbee none of the girls in the Freedom Fighters are even close to my age.

Back to the point, I never wanted to hurt Katara. I love Katara. I think I fell in love with her the first time I saw her. I twisted her around into my arms and as we stared into each other's eyes time seemed to stop. I wish it had.

It's true I lied to her. At the time I thought I had to. I was so scared once she knew my plan she would leave and well…I was right. Before that day I had never questioned my plans, I would do whatever it took to kill fire nation. If a few innocents died for that so be it. It was for the greater good I told myself. None of my fellow Freedom Fighters ever argued against me.

But that's no excuse for what I did. I thought I was a hero, but the hero doesn't die at the end, the villain does. I'm the villain. Or perhaps the world isn't that black and white, either way I'm rambling. I listen as Smellerbee and Longshot tell the others they'll take care of me. I knew they were serious when Longshot started talking.

I knew that wouldn't be enough for them though, so I lied to them myself. I lied to Katara again and told her it would be okay, that I would be okay. I can feel the coppery taste of blood in my mouth; I try not to let it show that I'm in pain.

As I look up into Katara's beautiful eyes I so desperately want to tell her the truth, that I'm going to die and that more importantly that I love her. But I can't do that to her, it would only cause her more pain. She'd waste time mourning over me, and I don't want her to spill another tear on my account. I'm not worth it. Its better that she hates me.

The gang starts to walk away and I hear Toph whisper to Sokka that I lied. I didn't get the chance to know Toph but she defended me against Katara and for that, I think I like her.

They're gone now so I let out a groan of pain. Smellerbee gasps and puts her arms around my shoulders trying to put me in a more comfortable position. It doesn't work; instead I just cough up blood onto the hard floor. Smellerbee apologizes and asks what she can do; I can see how desperately she wants to help me. I tell her there's nothing she can do, she nods and looks away.

The walls carry the sound of footsteps and I know whoever they are they're coming for us. Another spasm of pain hits my body and I start convulsing. "Leave me" I tell them. Smellerbee says she'd never abandon her leader, Longshot doesn't say anything. I am both proud and ashamed that my two best friends will die for me.

They say your life flashes before your eyes right before you die, well its true. I still have a few happy memories of my parents before they died. They were simple farmers, we were poor but we were still happy.

Then I remembered the day I watched the fire nation burn my village and kill my parents. I hid in the trees and watched as a huge bald soldier kills them both in front of my eyes. He laughed, and I swore revenge that day, on him and the fire nation.

And a few years later I got my revenge; I found and killed that bastard. But my hate didn't die with him, instead it grew. I realize now it was then that my plans grew steadily worse. I didn't care about saving people anymore; my righteousness had turned to something ugly.

And then I remember forming the Freedom Fighters, it was probably the happiest I had ever been in my life. I had made myself a home and a family; we were united in our hatred of the fire nation.

Next I saw when Katara, Aang and Sokka showed up and everything fell apart from there. Now that I think about it, Aang's the real hero. He'll be the one to defeat the fire nation and save the world, not me. He'll be the one Katara falls for, not me. So I pass my mission on to him, knowing he'll complete what I never could.

I hear their footsteps getting louder and I realize they're almost here. I can hear Longshot readying his bow while Smellerbee unsheathes her swords. As they enter the room I pull myself up while ignoring the pain.

There are ten of them, none are earthbenders. All the benders must have been sent after Aang and the gang, guess we're just not important enough to fight earthbenders. Longshot starts shooting arrows but it seems these guys are no common foot soldiers, most of them dodge. They're probably paid assassins.

Smellerbee runs in and the fight starts. Two against ten, they're completely outnumbered. They fight anyway. I couldn't be more proud. Longshot takes a few down but couldn't get off enough arrows fast enough and one of the assassins' cuts off the arm he shoots with. He screams out in pain before another cuts off his head, silencing him forever.

I scream out his name followed by a string of curses at the assassins. My scream distracts Smellerbee, for a moment she looks my way. A dagger gets plunged into her side. She also screams out in pain as she tries to continue. She heads towards me but doesn't get far before a sword finds its way through her stomach.

The sword is withdrawn and she falls down on top of me. The assassins laugh before heading out the way they came in. They didn't even bother with me. "Jet…" Smellerbee whispers, her strength leaving her as fast as the blood leaves her body. I watch her lips mouth three words before her eyes close and she falls forever onto my chest.

I wanted to say something to her, tell her I always knew. But she's already gone so instead I close my eyes for the last time. _I hope there's a heaven_, my last thought before the darkness overtook me.


End file.
